Pei Wei Shrimp Lo Mein Copycat

September 10, 2014

Pei Wei shrimp Lo Mein copycat recipe tastes just like the original, except it’s healthier! This recipe is veggie packed and can be made with chicken too. Plus, it’s easy to make at home so you can have it anytime!

Lo mein noodles all right up in your personal space. You’re okay with that, right? Is there a nicer way to greet a friend then with lo mein noodles? I think not.

I know that i’m only saying this for the umpteenth time but you guys, I love me some Asian food. Noodles in particular, that is. And Pei Wei’s shrimp lo mein is my absolute fave. Something about all that twirling of the fork and slurping down all that saucy goodness. All this noodle business is making my stomach growl. Would you mind if I had some for breakfast?

If you’re familiar with Pei Wei then you know what i’m talking about when I say these lo mein noodles are addictive. So much so that they’ve made me a regular at my local joint. I’m the one sitting in the corner with the big sunglasses trying to not look suspiciously familiar to the staff. Oh no, no that’s not me. That’s my evil twin. Yes, that’s who it is.

Okay, so there are 4 components to this shrimp lo mein recipe, let’s discuss.

1.) Shrimp – battered with cornstarch and egg whites and then just flash fried in a little bit of oil. You can also just replace them with cooked shrimp that are ready to eat from the store. Pei Wei makes the fried version, but cooked shrimp make the meal healthier and it lands your meal on the table in less than 25 minutes! If you don’t care for shrimp, just replace it with cubed chicken that’s been cooked with a little salt and pepper. Or just use boneless chicken and batter it the same way as the shrimp, fry and enjoy chicken lo mein instead.

2.) Saucy – This sauce is money! It’s what makes this Pei Wei shrimp lo mein so special. Otherwise it’s just a bunch of veggies and shrimp on a bed of noodles. Not that that’s a bad thing or anything. The sauce contains freshly grated ginger and garlic, along with Mirin. Mirin is a Japanese rice wine. It provides the sweetness that pei wei’s lo mein contains. It took me forever (literally, like 3 years) to figure out what they use to make it sweet. I mean sure, I could’ve just gone on the website and checked out that it mentions ‘rice wine’ in the ingredients but that would mean no trial and error and sometimes (only sometimes) that’s half the fun.3.) The lo mein noodles – Pei Wei uses egg noodles. I used canton noodles. Canton noodles are made of wheat. I think you can’t go wrong either way. So use what you like. Here’s a tip, ramen noodles work great too. So if you’re in a hurry, just use 3 packets of ramen noodles and discard the seasoning packets.

4.) Veggies – Authentic to Pei Wei’s dish i’ve used the same veggies they do – sliced onions, scallions, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. I don’t see a reason why you can’t sneak a few extra ones in there. So toss in some bell peppers or broccoli or whatever else you fancy!

If you haven’t figured it out yet, i’m in love with this recipe on so many levels.

1.) It’s super easy, 40 minutes start to finish with the crispy shrimp and 25 minutes if you’re using cooked shrimp.
2.) This recipe uses up all those ingredients in the fridge that are being avoided – ahem.. carrots and scallions, and turns them into this irresistible shrimp lo mein.
3.) It’s so pretty ❤ ❤. I say you take pictures as tag with me #littlespicejar on Instagram and Twitter so i can see how pretty your oodles of noodles look.
4.) Shrimp. ❤ If you don’t love shrimp, please skip to #5.
5.) Chicken! If you don’t like chicken, see #4.

There you have it, 5 goodgreat amazing reasons on why you need shrimp lo mein in your life, like yesterday.

And as if you need be to state the obvious, (i’ll do it anyway) these noodles are about to become your absolute favorite.

PEI WEI SHRIMP LO MEIN COPYCAT

Author: Little Spice Jar

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 5

Pei Wei shrimp Lo Mein copycat recipe tastes just like the original, except it’s healthier! This recipe is veggie packed and can be made with chicken too. Plus, it’s easy to make at home so you can have it anytime!

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 egg whites, beaten

4 tablespoons cornstarch, divided

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

10 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined [br]

12 ounces canton noodles or egg noodles*

1/3 cup Mirin [i](I used non-alcoholic mirin)[/i]

2 teaspoons grated ginger

4 cloves garlic, grated

1 chicken bouillon cube

3 tablespoons honey or granulated sugar

2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil [i](or vegetable oil)[/i]

1 cup onions, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices

1 cup shredded carrots

6 oz of shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced*

8 scallions, cut into 2 inch long pieces, greens only

3/4 cup bean sprouts [i](optional)[/i]

Instructions

Heat the 1/2 cup oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.

In a medium bowl, combine the beaten egg whites with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Using a whisk, beat the mixture until all the lumps of cornstarch have been worked out. Place the shrimp in a sieve and over the kitchen sink, toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Allow the cornstarch to coat the shrimp evenly. Working in small batches of 5-6, dip the shrimp into the egg mixture then add them to the skillet. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until evenly golden brown and crispy, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Prepare the canton or egg noodles according to package directions, toss in 1 teaspoon of oil to keep from sticking.

In a medium bowl, combine the mirin, grated ginger, garlic, chicken bouillon cube, honey, and soy sauce. Using the back of the spoon, work the boullion cube until it breaks down into very tiny pieces. Set aside.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes, add the carrots and shiitake mushrooms and stir. Stir in canton noodles and mirin sauce mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes. Toss in the shrimp and top with scallions and bean sprouts. Serve immediately.

Notes

[i]Canton noodles are noodles that are made with wheat. Egg noodles or 3 packets of 4.5oz ramen noodles may be substituted (discard seasoning packets). [/i][br][br][i]I used 1 ounce of dehydrated shiitake mushrooms that I rehydrated by leaving in hot water for 30 minutes.[/i]

2 comments on “Pei Wei Shrimp Lo Mein Copycat”

I just made this recipe tonight for dinner. I normally don’t leave comments, but after the first bite I couldn’t believe how good and how much it taste like pei wei’s lo mein. I thought it taste better! I used chicken and it was amazing! Love, love, love it!